Inverse Structure Problem for Neutron-Star Binaries

TL;DR

This paper shows that precise measurements of neutron-star binary systems' masses and tidal deformabilities can, in principle, precisely determine the high-density neutron-star equation of state without simplifying assumptions.

Contribution

It introduces a method to invert gravitational wave data to recover the neutron-star equation of state exactly, assuming all stars share the same stable EoS.

Findings

High accuracy measurements enable exact EoS determination.

No simplifying approximations used for tidal deformability.

Method applicable to ensemble of binary systems.

Abstract

Gravitational wave detectors in the LIGO/Virgo frequency band are able to measure the individual masses and the composite tidal deformabilities of neutron-star binary systems. This paper demonstrates that high accuracy measurements of these quantities from an ensemble of binary systems can in principle be used to determine the high density neutron-star equation of state exactly. This analysis assumes that all neutron stars have the same thermodynamically stable equation of state, but does not use simplifying approximations for the composite tidal deformability or make additional assumptions about the high density equation of state.